Direct source exhaust gas capture systems are known for capturing exhaust fumes from a vehicle. These systems are generally utilized for emergency vehicles such as fire engines, ambulances and rescue vehicles to vent hazardous engine exhaust away from a vehicle storage facility such as fire stations, garages, etc. In known prior art systems, an exhaust hose is connected to the vehicle tailpipe and an exhaust fan, connected to the exhaust hose is manually energized to exhaust fumes from the vehicle tailpipe through the exhaust ventilation system of the vehicle storage facility. Such a system and similar systems are available from Nederman, Inc. of Westland, Mich., and from other manufacturers.
In the known prior art systems, when an emergency vehicle, such as a fire truck, leaves the vehicle storage facility, such as a fire station, the direct source exhaust gas capture system must be manually energized by either actuating a switch or closing a valve to engage the exhaust fan and exhaust fumes through the exhaust hose attached to the vehicle tailpipe. It is desired to do this prior to starting the emergency vehicle, but in quick response cases, this is not always the case. When the emergency vehicle returns to the fire station, the exhaust hose must be re-attached to the vehicle tailpipe and the direct source exhaust gas capture system must again be manually actuated. It is desirable to have the direct source exhaust gas capture system running prior to the vehicle entering the fire station. With manual actuation of the direct source exhaust gas capture system, this is not always the case.
Known direct source exhaust gas capture systems also utilize pressure switches in the exhaust hose which actuate the exhaust fan of the direct source exhaust gas capture system when the exhaust hose is connected to the tailpipe of the vehicle and a differential pressure switch senses the pressure of the vehicle exhaust. Such systems suffer from the disadvantage that the engine must be running prior to the pressure switch sensing a pressure to actuate the exhaust fan. Hence, when the engine is running, such as when the vehicle returns to the fire station, the operator, who connects the exhaust hose to the tailpipe of the vehicle, is required to place the exhaust hose which is not exhausting over the tailpipe and in the process inhales hazardous exhaust fumes.
The present invention overcomes the disadvantages associated with the prior art direct source exhaust gas capture systems by automatically actuating the exhaust fan of the direct source exhaust gas capture system when the ignition system of the vehicle is turned on and prior to the engine starting and by automatically re-actuating the system when the emergency vehicle returns to its home station and is within a predetermined range of the vehicle storage facility.